The Aftermath
by syrenamontes
Summary: Nobody really knows what happened after the tragedy at Ashinaka Island. HOMRA is grieving for the loss of their beloved King, the Blue King plagued with guilt over what he's done, and the two Clansmen of the Silver King patiently await his return while searching for the new Colorless King. Will fate still connect their paths together one more time?
1. KICK OFF

**Disclaimer: **K- Project along with its characters belong to GoRA and GoHands. This fanfic is purely my creation, including the new storyline and original character/s.

* * *

It has been almost a month since the Red King's demise at Ashinaka island.

Within that time frame, Homra had managed to get by despite the loss of their leader and _nakama_ due to their resilience as well as Kusanagi's unwavering guidance. Of course, there were a few skirmishes that occured because of some people who made a terrible mistake in belittling the Red Clan, thinking that the loss of their leader had also meant the loss of their powers.

Economically speaking, Homra was doing okay since they've managed to keep the bar going. But there's just this huge, gaping hole in their lives that could never be replaced by anyone else except by Suoh Mikoto and Totsuka Tatara.

In addition to the emotional pain that the clansmen were going through, all of them were placed under surveillance by Scepter 4 together with the local police department because as of the moment, they were a group of dangerous, volatile Strains.

Leaderless. A group of people without a King cannot be classified as a clan.

What's even more infuriating for them is the involvement of Scepter 4, whose leader is the murderer of their King. Despite Kusanagi's attempts to explain what really happened at Ashinaka island, the idea that they're being kept under watch by the very group whose leader had killed their King left a bad taste in the mouth, most especially for Yata Misaki.

Therefore, being the Red Clan's temporary leader, it was Kusanagi's job to keep the business rolling and everyone else in check. As Kusanagi polished the wineglass he was holding, he let his mind wander back to that time when Awashima Seri came to the bar a day after Mikoto's death.

* * *

"Izumo-kun, how are you holding up?" she asked softly.

"I'm still at a loss for words, Seri-chan. I feel like I'm in a nightmare that I just couldn't wake up from." he said dully.

A full minute had passed with neither of them talking. "Still, I believe that a sincere 'thank you' is to be given to your Captain. For being able to do the right thing despite the difficulty of the task ascribed to him." Kusanagi said with a sigh.

"I'm not sure he would even want to be thanked for _that_. But thank you for the thought, and for understanding. Your boys might raise hell if they heard what you've just said." Awashima said.

"Yeah. Since yesterday, it's just damn difficult to keep them from attacking Munakata-san, or any member of Scepter 4 in particular."

The woman straightened up slightly in her seat. "Is it true then? Despite losing your marks, you still have the ability to use your powers?" The man shrugged, running his long fingers through his hair. "Apparently. I discovered it by accident after my lighter ran out of gas."

"So you're still a chain smoker. You know it's not good for your health, and you're not as young as you used to be.." Kusanagi gave her a rueful smile. "Ouch. That's cold, coming from you, the Cold-Hearted Woman.." Awashima knitted her brows together and pouted.

Neither of them spoke again for a couple of minutes, lost in their own thoughts. It was then that Kushina Anna entered the bar. Looking baffled at their silent tableau, she stopped by the door and blinked. "Anna-chan! You're finally here. I was beginning to get worried." Kusanagi said.

Anna approached them slowly, then looked expectantly at Kusanagi. "Ah, you want the usual drink? One moment, _madamoiselle_."

"_Ano_, you're not really fixing an alcoholic drink for this young girl, are you, Izumo-kun?" Awashima asked, her tone worried.

"Of course not! What do you take me for? It's just her favorite _aka jūsu_, a fruit juice that uses purely red-colored fruits as its ingredients. And you haven't told me what you'd like to drink, Seri-chan." Kusanagi said.

"If this young lady's having her usual drink, then I will also have mine. If you still remember it?"

"Hmm, let's see. Martini, four parts gin to one part vermouth with five scoops of _anko_, am I right?"

"Yes! Right down to the last detail. How did..?"

"Comes with the job. You have to remember a customer's preference or else they might look for another bar which caters to their tastes."

"I see. I'm reasonably impressed. Also, why don't you take a seat beside me, Anna? That way we can enjoy our drinks together."

Surprised at being addressed directly by the Blue Clanswoman, Anna blinked twice before taking a seat next to her. Pretty soon, Kusanagi finished mixing the two drinks and set it down in front of them with a flourish.

"Here you are, _aka jūsu_ and martini. Enjoy! By the way, Seri-chan. You haven't told me yet the reason why you came here."

Awashima looked up, frozen in the act of mixing the _anko_ into her drink. "Well..." she dawdled, giving the girl a side glance.

"Don't mind her. She's not like the rest of Homra, if that's what you're worried about. She won't go telling them anything you've said, either. _Ne_, Anna-chan?"

The young girl nodded once, then sipped at her juice with a deadpan expression.

"Alright, I trust you. The reason why I'm here is because Captain Munakata had asked me to come see you."

"Me? Why me specifically?" he asked, flabbergasted.

"Because he knew that the responsibility of looking after the Red Clan would fall to you, Mikoto's second-in-command. Therefore, he requested that I talk to you for two reasons."

"Okay, go on." Kusanagi said, picking up a wineglass and started polishing it.

"First, he requests that any official interactions between the Red and Blue Clans must be conducted through both of us, since our positions are somewhat similar. Also, though it might be difficult for you to accept this, but his involvement in your King's death is causing him a great pain, which is why he would prefer not to see any member of the Red Clan until such a time that a new King is chosen."

Kusanagi gazed up sharply from the wineglass he was polishing. "A new King? You don't mean..?"

"Yes, that matter being my second point. He wanted you to be informed that the Dresden Slate may select a new king anytime soon, which is why he wants all of you to be prepared when that happens."

Kusanagi and Anna looked at each other worriedly. "But, if the Slate decided to choose one right now, not a single member of Homra would accept him. We're still grieving for Mikoto, after all."

Awashima sighed heavily before taking a long draught from her drink. "I know that. Captain Munakata knows that, too. Which is why he's asked me to inform _you_ in advance in case that scenario really happens. That way, you could give your boys a heads up, preventing any untoward incidents.."

"Huh. I can already guess what their reactions will be, but I'll tell them anyway. What a pain. Is the selection of a King really that unpredictable?"

"From what Captain Munakata's told me, yes, it's impossible to know who and when the Slate would choose a new king. It seems that only the Gold King will know the precise moment of the selection, but as to the identity of that person, even the Gold King wouldn't know who it chooses."

"I think I'm beginning to understand Mikoto's feelings when he was chosen as our King. Of course, we all thought that it's a given, but to learn that being chosen was purely at random, it must have pissed him off a lot."

"I agree. And the burden of having the Sword of Damocles looming above your head must be terrifying, knowing that you have this massive destructive power which might set off anytime."

Anna surprised the two by speaking for the first time since she arrived. "Mikoto did the best he could with that power. Protecting us.." she trailed off.

"You're right, Anna. That's kinda similar to what Totsuka-kun said before." Kusanagi said sadly.

Awashima sighed, feeling the deep sadness that the two Red Clansmen shared. "_I have no right to be here, being a Blue Clanswoman. But I just had to see how Izumo-kun was doing_," she thought, guzzling the remaining contents of her glass.

"Well, Izumo-kun, Anna-chan, I've overstayed my welcome. I did what I set out to do, so it's time for me to leave. Thank you for the drink and for hearing me out." she said, rising from her seat.

Kusanagi put down the clean wineglass he was polishing and said, "Thank you for stopping by. It's always a pleasure to see you. I'll see you out."

"You don't have to do that. And it was nice meeting you, Anna. I'll bring you some _anko_ mochi when I come back."

"You're coming back soon?" Kusanagi asked.

"_Anko_ mochi..is it red?" Anna inquired, curious.

"Yes, I'm coming back again sometime this week. I have to keep checking up on all of you as long as you still don't have a King. Just following orders. And yes, Anna-chan. It's red on the inside. I think you'll like it."

Rushing over to the door, Kusanagi held open the door as Awashima passed through. Once outside, she was pleasantly surprised when he hugged her tightly.

"I'm really glad you stopped by, Tundra Woman." he whispered in her ear, causing her to blush crimson.

* * *

"_Well, whaddaya know, the Tundra Woman isn't so cold-hearted after all_," Kusanagi thought, smiling at the memory. She had kept her word, visiting Bar HOMRA twice a week while bringing different kinds of _anko_-related snacks for Anna which made him gag inwardly.

At first, most of the Red Clan members regarded her with suspicion; but after doing his best to explain the reason for her regular visits, they had tolerated her presence with an air of resignation.

As for the delicate subject which Awashima told him about, Kusanagi chose only a few key members to share his concern about the possibility of having a new King. The idea was vehemently rejected, but that was to be expected.

How could they serve a new King when their loyalty will be always be with Suoh Mikoto?

During the discussion, Yata actually broke down in tears, saying, "There won't be another King as good as Mikoto-san!" while the rest of them looked troubled.

The door of Kusanagi's bar suddenly opened, revealing a disheveled Yata who was holding what looked like a paper bag from his favorite restaurant located nearby. Following closely behind him was Kamamoto, looking stressed out.

"It's about time you boys came back! What took you so long? And why do you look like that, Yata-chan?" inquired Kusanagi. The boy just 'tsked' and sat down on the sofa, inspecting the contents of the paper bag. It was Kamamoto who answered him.

"What else, Kusanagi-san? He got into a fight with Saruhiko, again."

* * *

**Author's Note: **_Uwaa_! This chapter took waaay too long to wrap up! It's because I focused on giving my fanfic a backbone, so to speak, in the form of Awashima and Kusanagi's conversation. By the way, I'll be shipping the usual pairs that are found in the anime, (ex. _SaruMi_, _ReiMi_, _KusaAwa, etc._) and I will throw in an original character later in the succeeding chapters. A little heads-up, I am learned in the magical art called _**yaoi**_, so expect that kind of aspect when it comes to the guy pairings. Leave a review for me as well, because I will take **any** suggestions into consideration. That's all for now, see you in the next chapter!


	2. KINDRED

**Disclaimer: **K- Project along with its characters belong to GoRA and GoHands. This fanfic is purely my creation, including the new storyline and original character/s.

* * *

It was a rainy Monday morning, and Fushimi Saruhiko was having a bad ten minutes of it.

Going to work on Mondays has always been such a drag, but to continue on with their daily habits as if nothing had happened during the weekend? He scratched at his chest absently, before remembering that the self-inflicted wound and the scorched Mark weren't there anymore.

Tsk. _How irritating_.

Fushimi's always had mixed feelings about Suoh Mikoto ever since he and his _beloved_ Misaki joined Homra a couple of years back. He respected the older man who took him off the street and gave him a place to blow off some steam when he was just an idiotic kid.

_But he took away Misaki from me_!

Not in the way that most people would automatically think of; it was much more subtle than that. Mikoto doesn't even think of anyone else in that way, except for the Blue King, Munakata Reisi.

Still, it was maddening to see his Misaki fawn over Mikoto, laughing loudly at the half-assed jokes, looking awed at the displays of power, and generally making a fool of himself just to get the Red King's approval. That wasn't the half of it, though.

_Misaki forgot about me, the one person who'll always be devoted to him_.

As he was getting dressed for work, Fushimi clicked his tongue again, annoyed by the thoughts he was having at such an early hour. Then again, he always began his day in this manner. Reminiscing about the days before he left Homra, his confrontation with Misaki in the back alley, as well as the interview conducted by Munakata Reisi. An endless cycle of memories, frustrating him to no end.

On his way to Scepter 4's headquarters, he saw in the opposite street a sight for his sore eyes: Yata Misaki, without his usual bodyguard Kamamoto.

Grinning, he hid himself behind the stoplight and waited impatiently until Yata crossed the street before saying, "_Oya_, look who we have here. It's Mii-sa-kiiiii! What are doing out so early?"

Yata looked surprised to see him. "Huh? Saruhiko? The fuck are you doing here? Are you like stalking me or something?"

"_Tch_, I happen to live around here. Which makes you the stalker, Misaki. Why aren't you at that dingy apartment playing your videogames all day like you used to? _Ne_, Misakiii?"

"Why the fuck do you care? And didn't I tell you to STOP SAYING MY FIRST NAME?! Stupid Monkey."

"I'll call you whatever I want, my _little_ Misaki, because I can! Ha ha ha ha."

Yata emitted a red aura, causing Fushimi to laugh even more.

"What's this? You can still use your powers even without a Mark? Interesting! Show me what a King-less Clansman can do, Misakiii.."

* * *

"Well, Yata-chan? Aren't you going to explain why you got into another scuffle with Fushimi-kun?" Kusanagi asked sternly, eyebrows raised.

"There's nothing much to explain, Kusanagi-san. He just goaded me, and I blew it. Besides, I was really itching to fight a Blue, even if it wasn't Monkey." Yata said between mouthfuls of omurice.

Kamamoto threw his hands upward, exasperated at the cavalier attitude of the younger man. "Yata-san, you have to stop losing it everytime you see Monkey, or any Blue Clansman in particular. It's a miracle you haven't been arrested yet, starting a fight in broad daylight!"

"He's right, Yata-chan. Besides, why haven't you challenged Seri-chan during one of her visits here? She's a Blue, after all." Kusanagi said, grinning slyly.

Yata choked over his food. "B-but, she's a woman, and she's also your friend! I don't wanna die just yet." he said, looking warily at Kusanagi .

It was a rainy afternoon at Shizume City, which is why most of the Red Clan were hanging out at Bar HOMRA. "That's right, Yata-kun! You don't wanna get in the way of Kusanagi-san's game. He hasn't scored yet with her, _ne_, Kusanagi-san?" Chitose taunted. A rag flew across the room, smacking Chitose squarely in the face, which caused everyone to laugh.

"Ha ha ha, that's what you get, _baka_!" Yata jeered. Dewa facepalmed as Chitose removed the rag, looking livid.

"_Urusai_! Kusanagi-san, what was that for?!" Chitose yelled.

"Oh, so you had my rag! I was wondering where I last kept it. I was about to wash it since it's already quite filthy." Kusanagi said, pretending to look surprised.

"You basta-" "_Oi_, drop it. You don't want to be the one to fly next, do you?" Dewa told Chitose.

As everyone continued to taunt and laugh at each other, Kusanagi smiled at them as he wiped a beer mug with a new rag. "This is probably the first time they've laughed together since Mikoto died." he thought, feeling cautiously optimistic.

* * *

A man was seated at the mouth of a cave, staring up at the sky which was as black as his hair, unaware that a woman was approaching him stealthily.

"_Ne_, Kurosuke. How much longer do we have to wait? I'm getting hungry!" she yelled.

"You just ate a dozen of fish which I grilled for you about an hour ago, and yet you're still hungry? How voracious can you get?" he said in an exasperated tone.

"But I'm bored! I get hungry when I'm bored. This cave is scary, I wanna leave this place already. Let's go, Kuroh!"

"Neko, we can't leave yet. Don't you see this heavy downpour? We might get sick if we try to walk through this rain. Be patient for a little while longer. If you're scared, then stay here with me. I told you not to go exploring the cave, didn't I?"

Neko sighed loudly, before seating beside Kuroh. "Kurosuke, how much longer are we going to look for the new Colorless King? I miss my Shiro. I haven't seen him in a long time, I wanna see him."

Yatogami Kuroh cringed inwardly; he hasn't told Neko the entire truth about Isana Yashiro, or rather, Adolf Weismann's death at Ashinaka Island. _She still believes that Shiro's alive_, _the silly cat_, he thought. _Although it is partly my fault_.

The two of them have been travelling around Japan, looking for the new Colorless King, since Kuroh firmly believes that there would always be a new one to stir up the remaining Kings. Neko, on the other hand, wanted to come along with Kuroh, insisting that as a fellow member of Shiro's clan, they must always be together in case their King comes back.

Realizing that he had not yet answered the woman's question, he said hastily, "I'm sure that we'll find the new Colorless King soon. We have been to most of the major prefectures in Japan, so I suppose we can return to Shizume City by next week."

"Hooray! We'll finally be home soon. I bet Shiro's there waiting for us to come back already. What should we, *yaaawn* tell him when we asks us where we've, *yaaawn* been?" And just like that, Neko fell asleep on Kuroh's lap.

_Silly cat_, he thought, although he stroked her head softly and smiled as Neko made meowing sounds in her sleep. Just then, Kuroh noticed a silvery-white ball of light a few meters outside of the cave. He clutched his late Master's celebrated sword, the _Kotowari_, in case the light turned out to be an enemy in disguise.

_I keep seeing that ball of light since that incident at Ashinaka island. What could that possibly mean?_

* * *

For what felt like umpteenth time this day, Munakata Reisi had placed a wrong piece in his puzzle.

He let out a sigh of frustration, leaning back against his chair while readjusting his glasses. Never had there been so many mistakes made in a single puzzle, as far as he can remember. The other pieces lay scattered across his desk, mocking him to try comitting yet another error.

A sudden knock at the door startled Munakata out of his reverie. "Come in." he said tersely.

The door opened, revealing Scepter 4's third-in-command, Fushimi Saruhiko, who gave a slight bow as he entered the office.

"Captain, I'm here to give an update on the commotion that's occurring on the South District. Lieutenant Awashima went there with a squadron to apprehend the troublemaker, but it seems the suspect has already escaped. She's requesting for a Level: Cerulean Blue as soon as possible."

Cerulean Blue is one of Scepter 4's special requests for release of information. It is similar to the Prussian Blue and Royal Blue, but on a much lower scale. The order mandates the Metro Police Department to allow their CCTV footages to be viewed for investigation purposes, as well as have the temporary ability to take control of land, air, and water traffic until the order is lifted.

Munakata stared at his intertwined fingers in front of him for a long time without saying anything, causing Fushimi to 'tsk' in annoyance.

"Very well. Tell Lieutenant Awashima to expect the order to be in effect within 30 minutes."

"Yes sir." And with that, Fushimi turned to leave the room, a little freaked out by his boss' antics.

"One moment, Fushimi-kun." "Sir?"

"Aren't you going to order an arrest warrant for that Red Clansman who started a fight with you earlier?"

Fushimi colored. _Sly bastard_. He knew it was protocol to report Misaki for causing him trouble, but somehow, something stopped him. Perhaps it was the tinge of sadness that, in spite of the anger, was clearly visible in the Red Clansman's eyes.

An echo of the sadness that he himself felt.

"I thought it unnecessary to give him an arrest warrant as I had been able to resolve the situation, _Captain_." he said the last word in a hiss.

"Very well, _Lieutenant_. That will be all." Munakata said, hiding a grin behind his hands. _It's so easy to provoke Fushimi-kun when it comes to that particular Clansman_, he thought. Narrowing his eyes, Fushimi glared at Munakata before leaving, shutting the door more harder than necessary.

Munakata gave a reluctant chuckle, before turning back to his unfinished puzzle. He sighed again. "Might as well get some work done before I attempt to complete this puzzle." he said aloud.

He stood up while reaching for the PDA inside his pocket.

* * *

After eating his dinner over at Bar HOMRA, Yata Misaki headed back to his apartment to get some much needed R&R time. This afternoon had been kinda fun, the atmosphere similar to the time when Mikoto and Totsuka were still alive..

Shaking his head violently, he walked a little faster, annoyed at his own thoughts.

In a few minutes, he arrived at a normal-looking apartment. "_Tadaima_." he said to nobody in particular, not really expecting an answer.

He made a beeline for the refrigerator, looking inside expectantly. There wasn't much inside it but a couple of eggs and a half-empty ice cream tub at the freezer. It was plain vanilla ice cream, Saruhiko's favorite. Yata stared at it in shock.

"Great, just great! Another reminder that Monkey used to live here. Damn it!" he yelled, kicking the refrigerator.

Still, he took the ice cream tub and got a spoon from the kitchen; it was his favorite flavor too, after all.

Finding his PSP which was hiding underneath some cushions, he sat on the couch and opened the television. Not that he needed to watch it or something; it was simply out of habit. On the screen, a woman was reporting about a commotion that took place around 3:30 pm at the South District.

"...caused a small explosion by the marketplace. Due to the nature of the crime, Metro Police Department was forced to ask for the aid of Scepter 4 in arresting the perp, but Lieutenant Awashima and..."

Yata looked up from his videogame as he saw Awashima Seri being interview by the local news network.

"Oh, it's Awashima-san! I wonder if Kusanagi-san's watching this now?" he exclaimed, trying to catch what the Blue Clanswoman was saying onscreen.

"...entire city will be watched vigilantly by our team as long as the suspect is not yet under the custody of Scepter 4. Captain Munakata has proclaimed..."

He tuned her out, not interested in whatever her _precious_ captain has proclaimed. "Fuckin' Blues, they're gonna be all over the place again." he spat, turning his attention to the videogame once more.

It was past midnight when Yata decided to call it a day. He headed up to his bedroom, eager to get some shut-eye. As he was fixing the bedsheet, something fell to the floor. Curious as to what it was, he bent over to pick it up. He recoiled when he saw what it was: a polaroid photo of him and Fushimi during a school fair. It was taken a day after the Event.

_Why do I keep getting reminded of Saruhiko? He was the one who betrayed and left me!_

* * *

**Author's Note: **Hi guys! How'd you like the many cliffhangers in this chapter? Also, did you notice anything similar between this chapter and last chapter's titles? Fun fact: I plan to complete this fanfic with all the chapter titles beginning in the letter **K** just for fun, similar to the anime. Moving on, if you have any _questions/comments/suggestions_, feel free to do so by leaving a review for me. If this story has tickled your fancy, why not add it to your favorites? See you in the next chapter! (some time next week, I promise)


	3. KEYSTONE

**Disclaimer: **K- Project along with its characters belong to GoRA and GoHands. This fanfic is my creation, including the new storyline and original character/s.

* * *

Both hands still clutching the _Kotowari_ tightly, Yatogami Kuroh gently eased Neko onto the cave floor while rising slowly from his seated position. Unless his eyes were deceiving him, that ball of light seemed to be coming nearer and nearer towards them. Racked with indecision and confusion, Kuroh couldn't figure out whether it was fight or flight time.

It was then that he heard a voice; a voice so warm, so friendly and familiar that he couldn't help but gasp out loud. Neko, who was awakened by Kuroh's gasp, had also heard the voice. Meowing in sheer delight, she jumped up and began searching for its source.

_How are you, my two beloved Clansmen? It's been a while._

"_Nyaa_, it's Shiro! I told you he'd come for us, Kurosuke! I just knew it!" Neko exclaimed, dancing around the shell-shocked man who was on his knees.

"I-impossible! But how..? And where are you, exactly?" Kuroh asked breathlessly.

_Ha ha ha, _ano_.. The Red King didn't really kill me, er, what I meant is that he only destroyed my physical body, along with the Colorless King's soul. Like I told you before, I am the Immortal King, which means that I won't die that easily. Oh, and I'm the ball of light which you've been glaring at for the past few weeks. This is the only form I can manage for now since I don't fully have my powers. _

"I see. But how is that even possible? Without your body, you shouldn't even be able to exist in this world." Kuroh said, brows knit together in confusion and disbelief.

_Well, excuse me for not dying yet. I'm not even sure how it happened exactly. All I know is that after the Red King hit me with his flames, I felt pain, and then, nothing. But I really surprised me was that I still had awareness of my surroundings._

_Afterward, I saw you and Neko getting my umbrella. I tried calling out to you both, but it seems like you can't hear me yet. Then I went over to the Gold King's place to make sense over what was happening, but I already had my suspicions._

_He believes that the reason why I'm still around is because I had sworn Clansmen, something I never had before; and perhaps for that particular reason, the Dresden Slate insists on keeping me around._

"So, it's our fault that you're still roaming around the place." Kuroh said, rolling his eyes while smiling slightly.

"Who cares about that? I somehow knew you're still alive. Let's go home, Shiro!" Neko said impatiently.

"Neko, aren't you forgetting something? We're still looking for the new Colorless King, and in case he is similar to his predecessor, I will have to execute him."

"B-but you promised we could go home soon, didn't you? You promised.."

"Alright, alright. We can go home by tomorrow. But there's just one thing I need to clarify, Isana- I mean, Adolf Weismann."

_Kuroh, I told you to just call me Shiro before, didn't I? What is it?_

"As you wish. Shiro, will you always be in this form?"

_No. The Gold King said that I might be able to regain my physical form once the Slate chooses a new King, whether it be a new Red or Colorless King._

* * *

_You and me, we're always gonna be together. I promise!_

_R-really? You won't get tired of me? I don't want to be a bother, but.._

_'Course you're not a bother! Didn't I say we're gonna do great things together?_

_Okay. I trust you, Misaki.. I, I love y-_

Suddenly, Yata woke up, gasping for air. "GYAAH! What the hell is with that dream?" he yelled.

Calming down, he realized that something had caused him to wake up rather abruptly. On the bedside table, his PDA was still vibrating.

"_Tch_, who could be calling me at this hour? Wait, what time is it anyway?"

He gave his watch a glance, then panicked. "It's already 12:30?! Shit, Kamamoto and I have a job today over at the East District." he exclaimed, scrambling out of bed.

Unsurprisingly, it was Kusanagi-san who was calling him.

"You stayed up late again, didn't you? I've been calling you since 10! It's bad for your rep, and Homra's as well. Don't let this become a habit, Yata-chan!"

Kamamoto came to his apartment shortly, bringing a convenience-store _bentō_ for him.

"Here. Eat this before we head on over to Miyamura-san's place. You haven't had breakfast yet, have you, Yata-san?"

"Yep. Thanks a bunch! Thought I was gonna work hungry again. _Itadakimasu_!"

Yata ate his lunch hurriedly while Kamamoto surveyed the apartment. "By the way, Yata-san. Don't you think this place needs a little cleaning up?"

"Huh? I can't help it 'cuz I don't really spend much time in this place. Besides, when I do come here, I'm always tired."

After Yata had finished eating, they left the apartment, running the entire way. They arrived at a mansion located at the East District. A middle-aged man welcomed them into the house and ushered them to the living room.

"Thank you for coming here. I appreciate your taking on my request, since I know you're both busy men. Let me get straight to the point; my daughter was kidnapped a week ago by a member of the _yakuza_. They didn't demand anything from my family yet, and that's what worries me."

"Not to sound heartless, Miyamura-san, but what makes you think your daughter was kidnapped? She could've went with the suspect willingly, if you consider the fact that no demand has been made." Yata said.

Kamamoto looked at him, impressed by his reasoning. _Yata-san really works better when he's level-headed_, he thought. Just then, his PDA began to ring."_Sumimasen_, but I have to take this call. Please continue without me." he said apologetically.

"No worries, Kamamoto-san; just take the exit to your left. Yata-san, I have absolutely no doubt that she was kidnapped. I checked her diary the day she went missing, and in the earlier entries, it speaks of her fear of a certain man whom she knows to be a prominent _yakuza_ member."

"Well, when you put it that way.. I supposed that option's out then. Hmm, by the way-"

"Miyamura-san, forgive me, but it seems that I have to leave at once. One of my clansmen is asking for my assistance with something important, which is why I'm needed immediately." Kamamoto said.

Yata gaped at him; his damned partner was abandoning him! They were supposed to work on this job together. He glared daggers at Kamamoto, while Miyamura looked mildly concerned.

"Oh? It's alright, you may go. I do hope it's nothing serious."

"Thank you. Yata-san is more than capable of dealing with your problem, so I wouldn't worry about a thing." With that, he turned to leave.

"Very well then, where were we? Ah yes, you were saying something, Yata-san?"

"Yeah, uhm, you see, this is all detective stuff. Despite what my colleague just said, I'm not really good with this kinda stuff.."

"I understand your concern, since I know of your Clan's background. Therefore, I also enlisted the help of another person who belongs in a different Clan to assist you."

"Is that so? M-may I ask who this person is?" Yata asked nervously. It was then that he heard somebody moving behind him.

"_Tsk_. Really, Misakiii, don't you even read complete job description before accepting it? That's such a terrible character flaw." said an achingly familiar voice.

"S-Saruhiko! YOU'RE my partner for this job?!" Yata spluttered, wide-eyed.

"Oh, it seems you two are already acquainted. Very well then, since you're both here, I'll provide you with the information that might be of help." Miyamura said.

Fushimi sauntered over and sat on the couch beside Yata, who looked furious. Miyamura felt a dangerous aura being emitted by the two people seated in front of him.

_I wonder if these two are really suited for the job_, he thought as his sweat dropped.

* * *

Awashima Seri glanced at her timepiece worriedly. Unlike the rest of Scepter 4, only she knew what Munakata Reisi was going through after the showdown at Ashinaka island. The Captain always put on a calm façade in front of his subordinates, but she knew better.

_He's going to be late for the general meeting this afternoon_, she thought.

She decided to pay him a visit at his room inside the men's dormitories at Scepter 4. For the past couple of weeks, Munakata could only be found in two places: his office, and his room, not even leaving the place to buy groceries or perhaps to get some fresh air. Arriving at his room, Awashima began to knock on the door.

"Captain, are you awake? Please answer me, Captain!" she yelled.

Trying the doorknob, she was surprised to find it unlocked. The scent of _sake_ overwhelmed her as she entered the dimly-lit room. She found him sprawled on the carpet, who was still fast asleep.

_Sheesh, if his men ever see him in this state, they would lose their respect for him._

"Munakata-san, can you hear me? _Oi_, Munakata-san!"

The only response Awashima got from him was a groan. Rolling her eyes, she knelt down and tried to heave him towards the bed. _Ugh, he's heavy_.

"Really, why are you doing this to yourself? You haven't touched a drink since high school, but now.." she trailed off.

All of a sudden, Munakata cupped her face and kissed her. It wasn't just an accidental peck on the lips; it was a sensuous kiss which included the tongue.

Surprised, Awashima pushed him off and slapped him hard, the sound echoing throughout the room.

"Reisi! What do you think you're doing? You're still drunk, aren't you? Get a hold of yourself!"

Breathing heavily, Awashima backed away from him a few steps. _T-this, this has happened before_, she thought. Munakata touched the cheek which she slapped, looking at her in a daze.

"Seri-chan, why did you-?"

"Don't call me that! Tell me, why did you kiss me? Was it because you thought I was Suoh Mikoto?"

"Please let me expl-"

"You remember what happened before, don't you? Answer me honestly, Reisi."

"Yes, I remember everything. Except you have interpreted the situation incorrectly this time." Munakata said, hand still on his cheek.

"Really? How is it different from that time?"

"The main difference is that I know it was you I'm kissing, Seri-chan!"

Awashima gasped at his words. _So he knew it was me when he kissed me_? She blushed crimson, before remembering something crucial.

"T-then you are using me as a rebound! How could you do this? Don't you have an ounce of self-respect left? Or perhaps it's me who you don't respect?!"

When Munakata didn't answer, she calmed down a fraction; he was her Captain, and King, after all.

"Look, there used to be a time when I felt something for you. But that was years ago, because I knew I can't always keep competing with Mikoto for your attention. I thought I explained this to you back then?"

"You did, but then I thought that maybe perhaps..?"

"Captain, you're currently experiencing a hangover, and I know you're suffering from post-traumatic-stress-disorder, which is impairing your normally sound judgement. May I suggest you take a vacation, to clear your mind so that you'll be fit enough to function as Scepter 4's King?"

Munakata closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. "Hmm. A vacation, huh?"

* * *

Meanwhile, Kamamoto Rikio was out of breath when he reached Bar HOMRA.

"Haah, haah, Kusanagi- haah, san..!" he panted, hands on his knees.

"Oh, Kamamoto-kun. Sorry for the trouble!" Kusanagi said, grinning.

"It's nothing. But, will it be okay to leave Yata-san with Saru? Goodness knows what he'll do if Saru provokes him-"

"It'll be fine, you fret over him too much. Yata-chan knows when to keep his head in the game without getting sidetracked by his partner. Besides, I have Seri-chan's assurance that they'll monitor both of them in this particular job."

"Is that so? Very well then. By the way, Kusanagi-san, what is this 'important job' that I have to do?"

"Ah~ well, it's about my liquor shipments. Could you please supervise the delivery of those from the harbor? I have to man the bar this afternoon in case customers decide to drop by."

"Hmm, I understand. I'll get going then." Kamamoto said before riding his motocycle.

After Kamamoto left, Kusanagi returned to his normal post behind the counter and began polishing a wineglass. Before he could finish his task, the bell of the bar's door tinkled, indicating the arrival of a customer.

"Welcome to Bar HOMRA. How may I serve you this afternoon?"

The girl who just came in looked around curiously at her surroundings before replying.

"Did you say Bar HOMRA? Thank goodness, I've come to the right place, then. You are Kusanagi Izumo, if I'm not mistaken?"

Blinking several times, Kusanagi dropped the professional façade and frowned at her.

"Yes, I am Kusanagi Izumo. May I ask who you are?"

"Oh, pardon my rudeness. My name is Totsuka Tomiko. I am the half-sister of your _nakama_, Totsuka Tatara. May I ask if he is around?"

Kusanagi had never before been so flabbergasted his entire life that his mouth had hung open for about a minute before he could gather his senses.

"H-half sister, you say? And your surname is also Totsuka. How..?"

The girl gave a patient sigh before smiling indulgently, tucking in a stray lock of hair behind her ear. He noted that her smile was devastatingly similar to Tatara's that he half-imagined the girl would say "It's fine, it's fine, it'll work out somehow!"

"I will be more than glad to explain everything to you, Kusanagi-san. But perhaps after I've tasted the Specialty Tomato Chicken Curry? I have travelled a long way, after all."

"Very well, _madamoiselle_. Your wish is my command. Please, have a seat."

As he was preparing her meal, Kusanagi thought how much the girl looked like Tatara. "_Except for the hair, though. I've never seen such a brilliant scarlet before. Mikoto's shade is different from hers._" he mused.

A perfect combination of Tatara and Mikoto all in one person.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Hi! Sorry for the broken deadline.. as well as the weird section between Munakata and Awashima (_uwaa~ gomenasai_ **T_T** ) FYI, Munakata is supposedly **bi**, and seemed to have had a history with Awashima. I had a hard time writing down this story after reading the manga and the light novels (yes, **ALL** of them) for a month & a half. I wanted my story to maintain its originality while avoiding a clash with the canon storyline (perfectionist complex, sorry) Another FYI, I have NOT yet seen the movie, so please don't bash this fanfic saying how it's waaay off base etc. etc. Anyway, how do you like my original character? Let me know by leaving a comment below. _Ja ne_!


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